I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Christmas Eve was awesome for me because my eldest daughter, Kristina, and her hubby, Houston, flew in from North Carolin to surprise us. They were supposed to spend the weekend in Asheville, NC, but decided to hang with the fam instead! When she walked through my door, my mind went completely blank. It just didn’t compute. Same with Rune. We both just sat and stared like idiots. The entire day and evening was magical. Then in the morning, they left for Cuero, TX to surprise Houston’s parents. They were also gobsmacked. I don’t think I’ve ever typed that word, but it’s a good one. Note to self: Use it again. My daughter, Michelle, her husband, Nick, and their two kids, Easton and Arleen, (who all live with us) also left early in the morning for a 5 day trip to Colorado. Nick, Arleen and Easton have never experienced snow, so they were all very excited. Plus, they got to fly on a 787 (Dreamliner) which I think is the biggest airplane around, so that made the trip that much sweeter. On top of that, Easton slept the entire way.

But I was left with an empty house except my youngest, Annika, who I don’t see too much of because she sleeps in a lot on the tails of a rigorous semester, so my mind, in that quiet, drifted to the family drama and I was very sad. It was hard to even get out of bed, and I felt like crying all the time. Fortunately, I pulled myself together and feel somewhat better today.

I’m getting so many emails from you guys saying you’re coming to my house for the CE weekend January 20-22nd and I couldn’t be happier. I can’t wait to hug you all. It’s going to be life changing, and we’ll all leave as lifelong friends. It’s not too late for you to sign up, too. Click HERE to do so.

Also, in an effort to keep giving you free or inexpensive ways to talk to Erik, aside from the Ask Erik column and the radio show, Raylene and I will start taking questions from you for a monthly YouTube. Our first session is on the 23rd of January, so be sure you submit your question ASAP as it’s first come, first serve. Raylene is only charging $5, so you’ll never find a better deal for answers that can change your life. She’s super good, too! If you’re interested, click HERE to sign up.

Enjoy today’s post! Sorry for the lack of editing. I’m still in vacay mode!

R: He says Americans, and he’s not dogging on Americans in general—he just says Americans have bad eating habits… he says watch what you put in to your body people. He says don’t eat pizza for dinner, don’t eat ice cream for dessert. He says you only need a little portion and if you still feel hungry, chances are it’s your brain and it’s not your stomach that’s really needing the food—it’s you wanting it.

E: Yeah.

R: So tell yourself you don’t need it, and kind of… not, don’t look at it as a diet. He says don’t put yourself on a diet because people don’t tend to do really well when they’re on a diet because it’s forcing yourself to do it. He says do it like in little steps like… feed yourself smaller portions and then don’t go back for seconds. But don’t think of it as a diet—he says don’t put the word diet in there and don’t like… put restrictions on yourself because then you’re not gonna wanna do it.

E: Yeahhh…

R: He says restrictions to a point, but not hard ones. He says people need to start out small and little because when you do too much at one time it’s overwhelming, and then that’s why you’re not successful at it.

E: Yeah.

R: He says people…

E: What about exercise? Okay…

R: If you’re only feeding yourself one time a day you’re gonna make yourself gain weight.

E: I know.

R: He says your body is hanging onto the food that you’re feeding it because it’s worried that you’re not gonna feed it again, which turns into fat.

E: Yeah, your metabolism…

R: He says stop doing that.

E: Your metabolism slows down especially if you skip breakfast.

R: Exactly. And that’s really your most important… important day. He says breakfast…

E: Yeah.

R: He says breakfast is important because it helps your body and it helps your brain get mobile.

E: Yeah.

R: It helps you get mobile and it… he says it makes you think he says you need food to think right and you need food to act right—so if you find yourself being mad and you don’t know why, but you haven’t ate today, guess what you’re probably hungry and you’re… you’re angry.

E: Yeah.

R: Because your body’s hungry.

E: What about…

R: Even though you may not feel it. You’re hungry.

E: Yeah.

R: Your body is wanting food.

E: What about…

R: Force yourself even like nuts or something little…

E: Yeah, and always—never have carbohydrates by themselves—always have protein with it. Like don’t just have crackers—have cheese and crackers… don’t you know, things like that… because that modulates the insulin response, and if it’s not modulated you will gain weight with pure carbohydrates. And less processed foods, I guess?

R: That’s what he’s just now saying. He goes, Mom he says you’re guilty of this… processed foods *laughs*

E: Ugh… what about…

R: He says if you wanna fast… *laughs*

E: I know… what about… what was I gonna say? I ate breakfast, so my brain should be working, but anyway… oh yeah, exercise. How important is exercise? Cuz I hate it—I just started kickboxing though, kickboxing grandma! Woo hoo!

R: He says, Mom…

E: I have a… I have a t-shirt that says, kickboxing because you might be…

R: And you’re gonna rock the shit out of that shirt. *laughs*

E: Yeah. Because you might run out of ammo, and I have another one that says kick like a girl so anyway, yeah I’m liking my kickboxing but for the others out there… what do you think of exercise?

R: Exercise. He says exercise, Mom. He says yes, it’s really important for people… not only for the body, but he says for the brain as well because it gets your brain… moving that’s the best way to explain that to you. He says your body’s moving and your brain is moving and it’s… the walking kind of stabilizes you stabilizes your brain and gets those thoughts, whatever thoughts are in there it… it focuses your thoughts to positive thoughts and it focuses your negative thoughts to go away.

E: Okay.

R: So walking’s very beneficial for your brain and for your… for your body. He says people you don’t need to set yourself up… you know, to do an hour of running every day or to do an hour mile or walk. He says you don’t need to do that drastic. He says simply getting up and you know, walking around the block one time, or cleaning your house… you know, being mobile. He says being mobile is what he wants to… wants to say. He doesn’t wanna use the term exercise because a lot of people don’t like that.

E: Oh yeah, I don’t.

R: They’re like, well shit, I don’t want to go out and exercise right now…

E: Mmm…

R: I simply don’t have time. He says so use the word mobile. You need to be mobile today, so if you’re in an office job, come home and walk around the block one time.

E: Okay.

R: Cleaning your house, you know before you go to bed… even if you are tired—you know, clean… clean your area that way you’re mobile. You’re getting, moving around…

E: Yeah.

R: So that way you’re not using the term exercise and you don’t want to do it. You know you’re thinking oh, I gotta go home and exercise. No, I don’t want to do that today.

E: I gotta go home and move.

R: Exactly.

E: Ew, I gotta go home and clean my house… gross.

R: *laughs*

E: But actually you know, it’s a real good form of active meditation. I weed in my garden. I have a lot of weeds. And it’s very… you know, it’s very grounding, and also it’s like doing dishes, doing the wash, folding clothes… it’s a form of active meditation.

R: It is. He’s calling you weird.

E: I know.

R: He says mom you’re weird.

E: I know… take after you.

R: He says who gets pleasure out of cleaning? I do, too.

E: Yeah, yeah.

R: It’s a form of active meditation for me.

E: Absolutely.

R: He says you probably won’t find very many men that are gonna wanna actively clean with you. He says but yes, it is a form of active meditation—cleaning and moving your body. He says that’s kind of a whole ‘nother subject to talk about…

E: Mmm hmm…

R: But he… he says meditating—it’s going to help you get rid of emotional trauma in your body.

E: Mmm…

R: So… meditation, therapist, family, support system, animals—these are all things to help with weight.

E: And cbd oil.

R: I know they sound kind of funny and how could these things be associated with my weight. They do help alleviate emotional trauma in your life.

R: Because you’re not stuffing your face with your emotions. He says you’re not eating your emotions. So people start working through your troubles…

E: Mmm hmm…

R: And if you don’t feel like you wanna to talk to the person that hurt you. He says all you have to do is release that and don’t let it hurt you anymore, if you don’t wanna communicate with the person that’s hurting you.

E: Well, easier said than done.

R: Or with whatever emotional is hurt… whatever emotion is hurting you.

E: That’s… that’s hard to do…

R: He says…

E: Cuz you know my situation, I’m gonna have a hard time letting go of the problems I’m having with one particular person in my life.

R: He says mom…

E: Who shall remain name… nameless.

R: He says mom you will get there. And you will realize that you don’t need to hold that burden in you anymore. He says when you can think about the situation and it doesn’t bother you anymore, or you could think about it and look… you know look at where I am from and where…

E: Yeah, there we go.

R: Think about how far you’ve come. He says that’s when you realize that you let something go that you can look at a situation and see where you’ve grown from it or look at where you are now.

E: So how can, how can others…

R: That’s when you realize you…

E: If they don’t have a therapist, if they don’t whatever—how can they let go of like a toxic relationship for example. It’s… it’s… easier said than done.

R: He goes mom, first off they gotta get out of that relationship if they’re still in it.

E: Mmm…

R: He says they need to find escape they need to…

E: Yeah.

R: And it’s not all like relationships. He says there can even be… like workplaces.

E: Yeah.

R: He says there’s stress in workplaces. People don’t realize it, but then they come home and they’re eating a crap ton…

E: Yeah.

R: Because of the stress at the workplace, or they’re not eating at all because they’re not hungry.

E: Mmm hmm…

R: He says it… it’s a… it’s a give or take—it could be too much eating or too less of eating.

E: Yeah.

R: He says meditation people. Go in to meditation call upon your angels, your guides, your loved ones, whoever you call to—ask them to help you release this emotion. He says if you can go into meditation, actually think of the memory that’s hurting you…

E: Mmm hmm…

R: Think of that ask them to release it and to let it go. You guys are setting the intention to have that go.

E: Okay.

R: He says some people will have a hard time—they’ll start to cry, you know emotions will come up in meditation. Let the emotions come out. He says crying is really good for people. It’s gonna help them.

E: I don’t know why, but every time I talk to Erik in this… my office, one of these timers goes off. Is that you, Erik? I don’t know why it would do that. Nobody… didn’t even set a time.

E: Aww… I love you, I love you so much… Raylene, is there anything else you would, you would like to add?

R: No, just thank you guys for watching, and thank you for being a part of the blog with Erik. He’s got so much to teach everybody, and he’s really here to help everyone…

E: He is.

R: So watch the videos. Oh, he says he guides, he manipulates energy, people, so if you find yourself on YouTube searching through his videos and something pops up—it’s him—he’s guiding you to watch the video because guess what? Chances are that video has very healing information for you.

E: Oh, awesome. Alright, so guys… wait ‘til the messages at the end… it’ll include Raylene’s contact information to remind you, and again that’s www dot angel medium 7—the numeral—dot com, but I will put that on the title page… that is to follow. Bye, Erik! I love you!